Not to be outdone, the American Chemistry Council and other opponents rolled out an ad campaign this week. In the 30-second spot, which is playing on TV (at least in Sacto), the industry calls the bill a “hidden billion dollar” tax and mocks the Legislature for focusing on grocery bags instead of unemployment and the state budget crisis.

Supporters (who include Assembly Speaker John Pèrez) aren’t exactly taking the criticism sitting down. In a statement issued by her office Monday, the bill’s author, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica, compares the new campaign against the bill to big tobacco’s fight against no-smoking laws:

“Fearing reduced sales, the tobacco industry focused on tolerance and accommodation similar to what the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the front man for plastic bag makers, has advocated by waving the personal rights of everyone to pollute. It’s the American way! … Plastic bags have crept like cancer on our earth, a cancer growing as steadily as the cancer caused by tobacco. Single-use plastic bags kill sea turtles, which mistake them for jelly fish, entangle birds and other marine life and are ingested by whales and fish.”

You may be wondering what the bill is all about? Basically, AB1998 would ban free plastic bags from grocery and other stores beginning in 2012. Shoppers who don’t bring their own totes would have to purchase paper bags made of at least 40 percent recycled material for a minimum of 5 cents or buy reusable bags under the proposal.

The bill is actually being held in Senate Rules right now, but is expected to be taken up for a Senate vote within the next week (it has to, or will die along with the legislative sessions come Sept. 1). It was approved by the Assembly in June, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has pledged to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.